Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Fungi \Fun"gi\, n. pl. (Bot.)
   A group of thallophytic plants of low organization, destitute
   of chlorophyll, in which reproduction is mainly accomplished
   by means of asexual spores, which are produced in a great
   variety of ways, though sexual reproduction is known to occur
   in certain {Phycomycetes}, or so-called algal fungi.

   Note: The Fungi appear to have originated by degeneration
         from various alg[ae], losing their chlorophyll on
         assuming a parasitic or saprophytic life. By some they
         are divided into the subclasses {Phycomycetes}, the
         lower or algal fungi; the {Mesomycetes}, or
         intermediate fungi; and the {Mycomycetes}, or the
         higher fungi; by others into the {Phycomycetes}; the
         {Ascomycetes}, or sac-spore fungi; and the
         {Basidiomycetes}, or basidial-spore fungi.

Fungi \Fun"gi\, n. pl. (Bot.)
   A group of thallophytic plants of low organization, destitute
   of chlorophyll, in which reproduction is mainly accomplished
   by means of asexual spores, which are produced in a great
   variety of ways, though sexual reproduction is known to occur
   in certain {Phycomycetes}, or so-called algal fungi.

   Note: The Fungi appear to have originated by degeneration
         from various alg[ae], losing their chlorophyll on
         assuming a parasitic or saprophytic life. By some they
         are divided into the subclasses {Phycomycetes}, the
         lower or algal fungi; the {Mesomycetes}, or
         intermediate fungi; and the {Mycomycetes}, or the
         higher fungi; by others into the {Phycomycetes}; the
         {Ascomycetes}, or sac-spore fungi; and the
         {Basidiomycetes}, or basidial-spore fungi.

Fungi \Fun"gi\, n. pl. (Bot.)
   A group of thallophytic plants of low organization, destitute
   of chlorophyll, in which reproduction is mainly accomplished
   by means of asexual spores, which are produced in a great
   variety of ways, though sexual reproduction is known to occur
   in certain {Phycomycetes}, or so-called algal fungi.

   Note: The Fungi appear to have originated by degeneration
         from various alg[ae], losing their chlorophyll on
         assuming a parasitic or saprophytic life. By some they
         are divided into the subclasses {Phycomycetes}, the
         lower or algal fungi; the {Mesomycetes}, or
         intermediate fungi; and the {Mycomycetes}, or the
         higher fungi; by others into the {Phycomycetes}; the
         {Ascomycetes}, or sac-spore fungi; and the
         {Basidiomycetes}, or basidial-spore fungi.

Phycomycetes \Phy`co*my*ce"tes\, n. pl. [NL.; Gr. ? seaweed +
   mycetes.] (Bot.)
   A large, important class of parasitic or saprophytic fungi,
   the algal or algalike fungi. The plant body ranges from an
   undifferentiated mass of protoplasm to a well-developed and
   much-branched mycelium. Reproduction is mainly sexual, by the
   formation of conidia or sporangia; but the group shows every
   form of transition from this method through simple
   conjugation to perfect sexual reproduction by egg and sperm
   in the higher forms. -- {Phy`co*my*ce"tous}, a.

Source : WordNet®

Phycomycetes
     n : a large and probably unnatural group of fungi and funguslike
         organisms comprising the Mastigomycota (including the
         Oomycetes) and Zygomycota subdivisions of the division
         Eumycota; a category not used in all systems [syn: {Phycomycetes
         group}]